Enraged father is jailed for 18 years for squeezing his four-week-old son to death when he wouldn't drink his milk

Published: 16:43, 24 July 2026 | Updated: 16:56, 24 July 2026 A father has been jailed for life in prison with a minimum sentence of 18 years for the murder of his infant son. Tony Bartlett, 39, was found guilty on Friday of killing his four-week-old son Atticus Bartlett in July 2022. The child collapsed at his family home in Chard, Somerset, on July 16, 2022, after  Bartlett violently shook the child in a 'fit of anger' after failing to get the baby to feed. Atticus tragically died five days later of severe internal injuries. Bartlett was described as 'very drunk' at the time of the attack. Bartlett, of Axminster, Devon, was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court for life with a minimum term of 18 years for the murder.  He and his then-partner Evelyn Ballentyne, Atticus's mother, had been at the pub and comedy club on the evening of the child's death, the court heard.  Ms Ballentyne's mother, Rachel Donovan, and her husband, Andrew Donovan, looked after Atticus at the family home on Darcis Row, Chard. During the course of the evening, Bartlett drank eight-and-a-half pints of lager before coming home. He was then left alone for 'a few minutes' to feed Atticus in the living room. Atticus Bartlett was four weeks old when he died after being violently shaken by his father Tony Bartlett Bartlett was found guilty of killing his infant son Atticus in July 2022 while in a 'fit of anger' after failing to get the baby to feed Bartlett violently shook the baby, causing severe internal injuries to the child's brain and spinal cord. He then 'dozed off'. Ms Ballentyne, who had briefly gone upstairs, found Atticus lying face down across Bartlett's lap. He was described as 'floppy and lifeless'. Atticus suffered severe brain damage and was unable to regain consciousness or manage to breathe for himself. Emergency services attended the property and Atticus was taken to Musgrove Park Hospital before being transferred to Bristol Royal Hospital for Children.  The baby was pronounced dead just before midnight on July 23, 2022.  Mr Justice Cavanagh jailed Bartlett, formerly a postman, and told the defendant he was 'very drunk' when he carried out the fatal attack on Atticus. He added: 'I have no doubt that this terrible tragedy would not have happened if you were not so heavily intoxicated.' The judge said Bartlett had been feeding Atticus with a bottle and the baby was bringing up the milk. Bartlett was filmed speaking with police as they arrested him with the murder of his son 'In your drunken state, Atticus's inability to take the bottle as well as you thought he should enraged you,' he added. 'You had a sudden fit of anger. You vented that anger on your tiny baby son. You shook him very violently indeed, gripping him very tightly round his ribcage. 'This only lasted a few seconds or at most a minute or so. Just in that brief moment, you wanted to cause Atticus serious injury. 'As suddenly as you began, you stopped, your anger evaporated, and then you dozed off.' During the trial, Charles Row KC said Bartlett had been 'drunk and frustrated' when he attacked his newborn son. Mr Row told the court: 'Evelyn Ballentyne went upstairs for a few minutes, leaving Atticus in the defendant's sole care. 'When she returned, Atticus was lying face down across the defendant's lap. 'She said "he's dead, he's not breathing". She noted that the defendant appeared to be asleep or at least his eyes were closed. Bartlett arrived at Bristol Crown Court on Thursday charged with murder and manslaughter relating to the death of his son, Atticus 'The defendant flipped Atticus over. Atticus released two gasps and appeared to be floppy and lifeless.' Experts said the injuries suffered by Atticus were associated with 'vigorous shaking', with his rib fractures caused by 'gripping and squeezing' during that attack, Mr Row told the court. In a victim personal statement, Ms Ballentyne described how she had been left with 'severe anxiety' following Atticus's death. 'I will never know what kind of person Atticus would have become,' she said. 'I will never see him hit milestones. I will never see him go to school. I will never see him grow up and have a family of his own.' She continued: 'Who plans their baby's funeral? Who goes to the chapel of rest? 'I had to wait 11 hours and 18 minutes for Atticus to die. It was horrendous. I was scared to go out, I was scared to stay in. 'I don't enjoy any moments because I have a dead son. It is mentally and emotionally draining all the time. It is awful.' Her mother, Mrs Donovan, told the court how she wondered what Atticus would look like now and what toys he would like to play with. 'I just want one more day with Atticus,' she said. 'I'm glad I had Atticus that night. He was loved and cuddled and had a lovely night with us. 'I just hope and pray he never knew what happened to him.' Representing Bartlett, Nigel Power KC said his client had previously been a 'good and caring parent' to his son. 'This is not a case where there is intention to kill or premeditation,' Mr Power said. Mr Justice Cavanagh described Bartlett as having previously been a 'loving parent', and said there was no history of violence towards Atticus, although he was known to have a 'fiery temper'. He said: 'Atticus should have had a long and happy life ahead of him. His life was ended before it really began. 'I say at the outset that I’m sure that you did not intend to kill Atticus… You did, however, intend to cause him really serious harm.' 'The most significant aggravating factors are the extreme youth and vulnerability of your victim and the gross abuse of trust involved in this offence,' he added. 'Nobody is more vulnerable and reliant on others than a blameless one-month-old baby – he could not stand up by himself. 'As Atticus’s father you were one of the two people, above anyone else, to whom he was entitled to look to for love and protection. 'You have known all along that it was you, and no-one else, who was responsible for Atticus’s injuries. 'It is likely that you immediately regretted what you had done, though not so much that you were prepared to own up to it or to express remorse for it.' Detective Sergeant Sarah Bowden, of Avon and Somerset Police’s major crime investigation team, said: 'Tony Bartlett was alone with Atticus when he suffered these horrendous injuries and the medical evidence gathered during the investigation proves he was solely responsible for causing them, despite his claims of innocence. 'This is a devastating case in which a very young baby has lost his life as the direct result of a cruel act by a man who was supposed to provide him with the protection and care he needed. 'The loss of Atticus has had a profound effect on all those who loved him. Our thoughts are very much with Atticus’s family, who’ve had to endure a lengthy and complex police investigation, followed by a trial. They’ve shown great dignity and courage throughout. 'Investigations like this are extremely harrowing and I’d like to thank all those who provided evidence and supported our investigation to establish the facts behind Atticus’s tragic death.'